Bridget Gainer

Land bank would revitalize distressed properties

2012-11-30 00:00:00

A land bank that would acquire, manage and repurpose vacant and abandoned properties in Cook County is one step closer to reality. Two months after its formation, an advisory committee appointed by Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle is...

Cook County votes to cut pay for some political appointees

2012-11-14 12:59:00

Cook County commissioners on Wednesday voted to end full-time pay and benefits for political appointees on a pair of panels, a change backed by County Board President Toni Preckwinkle. Salaries, medical benefits and pension contributions for members of...

New Cook County budget includes $1-a-pack cigarette tax hike

2012-11-09 10:35:00

The cost of buying cigarettes and guns in Cook County will rise next year after commissioners today voted 16-1 to approve County Board President Toni Preckwinkle's $2.95 billion budget. In addition to the $1-per-pack increase on a pack of smokes and a...

Mixed news on Cook County bond rating

2012-07-27 10:07:00

There’s mixed news as Cook County prepares to borrow money: one bond-rating agency assigned a negative outlook to outstanding debt, largely because of growing unfunded pension liabilities, while another service gave the proposed bond issue a high...

County Board votes to merge job-training programs with city

2012-06-05 15:47:00

Cook County commissioners voted Tuesday to combine job training programs with the City of Chicago in a bid to cut costs. A single not-for-profit organization would be created to administer all the job training in the county, rather than having separate...

Lollapalooza restructures Grant Park deal, ticket prices to rise

2012-03-14 14:44:00

A new agreement with the Chicago Park District announced Wednesday will extend Lollapalooza's stay in Grant Park through at least 2021, while requiring the promoters to pay millions in annual city and county amusement taxes and state liquor taxes for...

Rescuing Illinois

2012-05-15 00:00:00

Two more weeks. That's how long your legislators are scheduled to be in Springfield for the remainder of their thus far do-little spring session. As of this writing lawmakers have taken one important step to secure the future of perpetually insolvent and...

Curtain may drop on Lollapalooza's county tax break

2012-02-03 06:22:00

After years of a free ride courtesy of a clout-laden deal, Lollapalooza might have to start paying Cook County taxes. Commissioners voted Wednesday to require organizers of events like the giant summer lakefront music festival to come to the County Board...

Cook County faces employee pension crisis, new report says

2012-04-09 16:36:23

Cook County Commissioner Bridget Gainer, D-Chicago, seen here last month, pushed through a measure today cutting the pay of some political appointees.

2012-10-08 00:00:00